1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for antifungal use, especially anti-Candida use (for treatment of the infection known as candidiasis).
2. Description of prior art
The antibiotics most commonly used for treatment of candidiasis, especially vaginal candidiasis are polyenes, especially nystatin. Such polyenes are not always effective if applied topically and their systemic administration is suspected of giving rise to kidney failure in some patients.
An antifungal cream and dusting powder based on miconazole is available under the Trade Mark "Daktarin" from Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. Since occasional irritation has been reported when using this product, it would be advantageous to have an alternative product for topical application.
Another imidazole, ketoconazole, has been used as a systemic fungicide, but recently there have been reports of hepatitis or liver damage occurring in some patients treated with ketoconazole, see Committee for Safety of Medicines Data Sheet, April 1983, and the article "New antifungal and antiviral chemotherapy" by J. C. M. Stewart et al., British Medical Journal, 286, 1802-1804 (1983).
There has therefore been a need to develop new antibiotics for the treatment of candidiasis.
Additional prior art is described below after the "Summary of the invention", without which its context would not be clear.